Sizer construction for pencil sharpeners



June 23,1942.---

E. c. HOFFMANN SIZER CONSTRUCTION FOR PENCIL SHARPENER Filed Oct. 22, 1941 :M, i rF y H MC. w W F.

Patented June 23, 1942 SIZER CONSTRUCTION FOR PENCIL SHARPENERS Edward C. Hoffmann, University City, Mo., as-

signor to Triple E Products Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application October 22, 1941, Serial No. 416,039

3 Claims.

The present invention relates generally to pencil Sharpeners and more particularly to sizing units forming a part of pencil Sharpeners.

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel sizing construction which may be employed with a manually or automatically operable pencil sharpener.

Another object is to provide a novel sizing construction for pencil sharpeners which is positive in its selection and maintenance of a particular position.

Another object is to provide a novel sizing construction for pencil sharpeners which is adapted to long service without repair or adjustment.

Other objects are to provide a novel sizing construction for pencil sharpeners which may be easily manipulated in movement from one position to another, which is inconspicuous in its operative disposition in regard to the pencil sharpener with which it is used, which is inexpensive, and which is adaptable for all of the objects and advantages sought therefor.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. l is a side elevational view of a pencil sharpener of the automatic type incorporating a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the pencil sharpener shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a front view of an element of the novel sizing construction;

Fig. 6 is a rear view of the element shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a front view of another element of the novel sizing construction; and v Fig. 8 is a rear view of the element shown in Fig. '7.

Referring to the drawing more particularly by reference numerals, [0 indicates generally a pencil sharpener of the automatic streamline type which includes a sizing construction H which is constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. The sharpener l0 includes a casing l2 of Bakelite, or other suitable material. No description of other elements of the sharpener is necessary to a full understanding of the present invention.

The casing 12 includes a nose portion l3 which is disposed at an angle to the horizontal (Fig.

3). The nose portion 13 includes an aperture l4 through the lower part and a small slot l5 through the central part.

The sizing construction It includes a first disc member I! and a second disc member IS.

The disc member I! is of the cross-section shown in Fig. 3, including at the rear a raised portion of circular configuration, and at the front a flange 2|. A circular aperture 22 extends through the central portion of the member I1 and is surrounded by three circular apertures 23, 24, and 25 of graduated size spaced at 120 and having the center of each on a circle concentric with the circular aperture 22. The raised portion 20 is disposed in a complementary depression 21 in the nose portion 13.

In the nose portion l3 spaced at and exteriorly of the depression 21 are three circular wells 28, in each of which is a compression spring 29 on top of which is a ball 30. Preferably, one well is at the uppermost part of the nose portion l3. In the outer circular portion of the member l1 surrounding the raised portion 20 are three depressions 3| of a little less than a hemisphere, which are spaced at 120 to each other and 60 to the respective apertures 23, 24, and 25. On the outer side of the member l'l opposite to and above the depressions 3| are indicators 32 suitably marked L, S, and M to indicate large, small, and medium, respectively, each indicator being disposed at to the aperture indicated (Fig. 5).

The member I8 includes a single circular aperture 34 which is of the same diameter as the aperture l4 in the nose portion l3 and the large aperture 25 in the member I! (Fig. 3). The member I8 is of a diameter to fit within the flange 2| of the member 11.

A stud 36 has a head 31 fixed in and to the member I8, and further includes a cylindrical portion 38 and a flattened threaded portion 39. The cylindrical portion 38 is disposed in the aperture 22 of the member I1 and the flattened portion 39 in and extending through the slot l5 of the nose portion l3. A nut lflthreadedly engages the flattened portion 39 to maintain the several elements in operative relationship which may be soldered into a permanent relationship with the flattened portion 39.

It is manifest that the member [8 is maintained in a fixed relationship to the casing 12 whereas the member I! may be rotated about its free pivotal axis which is the cylindrical portion 38 of the stud 36. The relationship of the nut M] to the stud 36 is such as to permit rotation of the member ll.

Operation In Fig. 3 the several elements forming the sizing construction I I are shown in operative relationship with the casing I2. It will be observed that the large aperture 25 is in the pencil receiving position.

When it is desired to change the pencil receiving opening from large to small, the member i1 is rotated by hand through 120 counterclockwise. The indicator 32 bearing the letter S Will then be at the top position and the small aperture 23 will be at the bottom, which is the pencil receiving position. Similarly, when it is desired to place the medium aperture 24 in the pencil receiving position when the parts are in a position shown in Fig. 3, the member I! is rotated by hand 120 clockwise.

The depressions 3| in the member I! are less than half of a sphere so that the member I! may be rotated readily. In movement of the member I! from the position of Fig. 3, the balls 38 are forced into the wells 28, butthey spring forth to again occupy the depressions 3! after the member I! has been rota-ted through 120. Thus the balls 3i! moving into the depressions 3! indicate that a. rotation of 120 has been effected by the member I7, and they establish positive positioning means for alining the desired aperture 23, 24, or 25 in pencil receiving position.

The casing I2 and the members H and H! are shown as of Bakelite, but any desired material may be employed. Furthermore, the specific configurations thereof may be varied within the scope of the invention.

It is to be understood that'the foregoing description and the'accompanying drawing have been given by way of illustration and example and not for purposes of limitation, the invention being defined by the claims which follow.

I claim:

1. A sizing construction for pencil sharpeners comprising a support, a stationary member connected to the support, a movable member on the support between the support and the stationary member, alined apertures in the support and the stationary member, and spaced apertures in the movable member adapted to be moved into alinement with the aforesaid alined apertures.

2. A sizing construction for pencil sharpeners comprising a support, a stationary member connected to the support, a movable member on the support between the support and the stationary member, alined apertures in the support and stationary member, spaced apertures in the movable member adapted to be moved into alinement with the aforesaid alined apertures, and means for locating the alinement positions of the apertures'in the movable member and for maintaining the alined positions thereof.

3. A sizing construction for pencil sharpeners comprising a support, an aperture through the support through which a pencil is adapted to be inserted, a movable member supported bythe support, said movable member including a plurality of spaced apertures. of difierent sizes adapted to be selectively alined with the aperture in the support, means for determiningthe alining positions of the movable member and for maintaining said member in selected alined position, said means including spaced wells inthe support, spaced depressions in the movable member, balls in the wells, and springs in the wells beneath the balls, said balls being adaptedto move into the depressions under the influence of the springs in alining positions of the movable member.

EDWARD C. HOFFMANN. 

